


Fanning The Flames

by FangZeronos



Series: The Forge [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Also there's gonna be a threesome between Sokka Azula and Suki in a later chapter, And end up having a rarepari that I think is nearly nonexistant, Attempted Murder, But then it took on a life of it's own in the planning, F/F, F/M, Fingering, I will captain the Azuki ship myself if I have to!, IT's mostly Azula/Suki focused though, Kissing, Peeping, This started as an idea, Threesome, WHat if Azula was trained by Suki to be a Kyoshi Warrior?, also babies ever after, blowjob, copious amounts of sexual tension, hope y'all like it!, it's gonna be long, story starts with them, these girls are gonna be gay for each other but still ride Sokka in time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:08:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FangZeronos/pseuds/FangZeronos
Summary: Azula goes with Suki to Kyoshi Island to relax, but that ends up being the last thing that happens.
Relationships: Azula/Sokka (Avatar), Azula/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: The Forge [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067357
Comments: 9
Kudos: 60





	1. Attack on Kyoshi Island

It’s been almost twenty years since the end of the Hundred Year War. Living in the Earth Kingdom with her children and family, the former Fire Nation Princess Azula was happy. She snickered as she heard the sounds of feet running on the cold floor, and she smiled softly.

“What did your mother and I tell you about running in the house, little ones?” she asked.

“Sorry, Mommy,” a young girl’s voice said. She and her sister walked around to Azula, both of them hugging their mother’s legs. “Mommy, can you tell us a story?”

“What kind of story, Ursa?” Azula asked, kneeling down and looking at her daughters. “Hm? Which story do you want to hear?”

“You and Mama!” the other girl said with a smile.

“Me and Mama? Oh, that’s a fun one,” Azula said, kissing her daughter’s head. “Ursa, you and Mai go sit on the couch and I’ll be right there to tell you all about it. Without the adulty bits that are too spicy for your tiny ears.”

Ursa giggled and nodded. “Come on, Mai!” she said, taking her sister’s hand and running for the couch, climbing up and settling in.

Azula smiled softly, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Mai climbed up into her mother’s lap, her golden eyes sparkling as she snuggled against her mother. Ursa wiggled under Azula’s arm, wrapping her own arms around Azula’s, ready to listen.

“Your Mama and I, hm? Well…that is a long story,” Azula said. “We met a long time ago, back when she was Kyoshi Warrior and I was…an undisciplined and obnoxious Princess who thought the world belonged to her. But, after Uncle Zuko and Katara stopped me, I got my mind right after your grandfather’s manipulations. And that’s where Suki came in, giving me a second chance…”  
________________________________________

_Twenty Years Ago_

_Kyoshi Island_

Suki and Azula stepped off of the airship surrounded by several other Kyoshi Warriors. The Warriors split off and took off for their houses, sounds of laughing and cheering filling the quiet island’s air. Azula wrapped her arms around herself, her bag on her shoulder as she walked down the path with Suki, biting her lip.

“I shouldn’t be here,” Azula said, looking at the former Captain of the Guard and her brother’s right-hand woman. “Anywhere but here, Suki.”

“You need a relaxing place to keep yourself centered. You’d never get that in the Palace or with Sokka and Katara. Kyoshi knows you’d never get it with Toph,” Suki said. “Besides, this gives us a chance to get to really know each other, ok? Outside of trying to kill each other.”

Azula nodded, looking around as she walked beside Suki. “It’s so calm.”

“Yeah, until the Unagi attacks,” Suki said with a smile.

“Unagi? Attack?”

“Oh, yeah. It happens about once a week. Aang and the others took it down the last time I was here. Who knows, you may get lucky and get to see it,” Suki said, walking up to a house and pushing the door open. “Mom?”

Suki’s mother, Shei, walked in from the kitchen, hooking a towel on her hip. “Suki!” she said, running over and hugging her daughter. “You should have let me know you were coming home!”

“Surprise,” Suki said with a smile, hugging her mother back. “Mom, there’s someone I want you to meet.” She stepped back and moved back to stand beside Azula. “Mom, this is—”

“Azula. Princess of the Fire Nation,” Shei said in a hushed voice, her hand moving to her belt, fingers wrapping around the hilt of a dagger. “What is she doing on this Island, Suki?”

Azula backed up slowly, her hands in front of her. “Ma’am, please—”

“Answer me, Suki!” Shei snapped.

Suki sighed, stepping between Azula and her mother. “She’s here because I asked her. She’s not like she used to be, Mom. I promise. She just got out of the hospital again a few days ago and I thought coming to Kyoshi would help her relax. Please, you have to trust me.”

Shei removed her hand from the dagger slowly, narrowing her eyes. “One slip-up, Princess, and I will not hesitate to put this in your chest,” she said. “Understand?”

Azula nodded softly. “Yes, ma’am. I swear, I mean no harm or ill intentions. Suki’s telling you the truth. I’ve been in and out of the hospital for the last several years thanks to my mental state at the end of the Hundred Year War and my father’s machinations. Suki offered to help me and being away from the Fire Nation was the best option in her eyes.”

Shei looked at her daughter who nodded. She bit her lip and looked away, hands clenching. “Last time Fire Nation Royalty was here, your brother burned down half of the village. It’s hard for us to trust anyone from the Fire Nation. If Suki’s vouching for you, it’ll have to be enough,” she said. She turned back toward the kitchen, putting her hand on the doorframe. “Dinner’s in two hours.” She disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Azula and Suki to themselves.

Suki sighed, putting her hand on Azula’s arm. “Come on. I’ll show you the spare room,” she said. Suki looked at the young woman, biting her lip when she saw Azula was staring at the entrance for the kitchen, her eyes glazing over. She got concerned, stepping in front of her and breaking her line of sight. “Azula?”

Azula gasped, shaking her head out and backing up a step. “What—where—”

“Azula, where are you right now?” Suki asked, setting her bag down and taking the Princess’s hands. “Azula, where are you?”

Azula panicked, looking around before finally feeling Suki’s hands in hers. “Kyoshi…Kyoshi Island,” she said softly, licking her lips softly. “Kyoshi Island…”

“Where did you go, sweetheart?” Suki asked, putting her hand on Azula’s cheek. She remembered the healers in the hospital telling her that touch and questions would help ground Azula after an episode, and it was clear she had just had one, judging by the sweat building on Azula’s face and neck. “Azula?”

“I…I saw my own mother. Telling me I wasn’t…wasn’t anything but a monster. I was that five year old girl again, wanting praise from my mother but being met with disgust,” she said softly, reaching up and wiping her eyes softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s ok,” Suki said, smiling softly. “Come on. We’ll get you settled in and then we can look around the Island.” She took Azula’s hand and led her upstairs, nudging the door to the guest room open. “Well, it’s not a Fire Nation suite, but it’s cozy enough.”

Azula looked around the room and smiled a bit. “It’s fine. It’s better than my room in the hospital,” she said, walking in and setting her bag on the floor. She sank onto the bed, sighing as she did. “Suki…can I ask something?”

“Of course,” Suki said, sitting beside Azula. “What’s on your mind?”

Azula sighed softly, rubbing her hands together before she looked at Suki. She had two big questions on her mind, and one would be a longer answer so she opted for the quicker one. “How in Sozin’s name did you get Ty Lee to join the Warriors? That girl complained for years about being part of a “matched set” because of six identical sisters and then she comes to my cell in the prison wearing Kyoshi robes and makeup. How did you pull that off?”

Suki giggled and smiled. “She said that when you three impersonated us and got into Ba Sing Se, she felt like the armor and makeup would be fun to do all the time. I guess she’d bonded with some of the other Warriors while she was in prison after betraying you with Mai at the Boiling Rock, and she came to me after the War and asked if she could be part of the Warriors. We put her through intense training and crazy tricks, but she proved herself.”

Azula smiled a bit and nodded. “I think it looks good on her. Almost like she was made for it, or it was made for her, one of the two.” She rubbed her arms, biting her lip. “Why….why did you really offer to help me? After everything I did to you—”

Suki out her hand on Azula’s, giving a gentle squeeze. “Because I’d like to think that, if the situations were reversed and you were the Earth Kingdom girl raised with love and affection, and I was the Fire Nation Princess who was manipulated and used by the people that were supposed to love her, in the end you’d do the same and help me get back to myself and find the person I should be,” she said. “And, in all honesty, you needed a friend that wouldn’t judge you. Not when I know that everything that happened to you was your father’s fault.”

Sitting silence for a minute, Azula nodded before she leaned over and hugged Suki. “Thank you,” she said softly. “Other than you and Zuko, nobody wants to really give me a chance. All they see is the broken fourteen year old that tried to burn the world down. I hate being that person…I hate that being the only thing people know me as. I want to be better, and…if being here can do that, I’ll take what I can get.”

“I’ll be here every step,” Suki said, hugging Azula back and rubbing her back softly. “I promise. Nobody’s going to fuck with you while you’re here. Not if they want to keep their tongues. You’re my guest, in my home, and my Island. Anyone that doesn’t like it can step to me.”

Azula smiled softly and nodded. “OK,” she said. “Thank you, Suki. Really.”

Suki smiled. “You’re welcome,” she said. “Get settled in. I’ll go try and talk my mom down and then we’ll go look around the Island.”

A few hours later, after a tense dinner with Shei, Suki walked with Azula through the village. The princess was looking at everything, biting her lip as she watched people pull away from her, children being yanked back to their parents or older siblings. She knew it shouldn’t hurt and that she should expect it, but she also knew she couldn’t help the feelings in her chest as she watched the cold reception.

_“Suppose it’s my punishment. Years of incarceration, a few years in and out of a hospital, finally getting the right dosage of medication to help me balance my emotions. Everyone’s still scared of me. I don’t blame them. Like Suki said, if situations were reversed, I’d probably be afraid of me too,”_ Azula thought.

“You’re lost in thought again,” Suki said with a smile, nudging Azula’s shoulder softly. “What’s wrong?”

“Trying to reconcile the reception I’m getting. I don’t blame them. My problems are as legendary as my grandfather starting the war. I don’t blame them for hating me and pulling away and hiding. I’d do the same if I were them,” Azula said with a bit of a shrug. “It’s alright. I’ll just be glad when it’s over. Soon enough I’ll become invisible.”

Suki nodded. “It’ll be ok. Lot of the time I feel invisible in the Fire Nation,” she said.

The two made their way toward the shoreline, Suki reaching down and pulling her sandals off, letting her feet hit the sand. Azula followed suit, wiggling her toes in the sand, giggling a bit at the sensation before she covered her mouth.

Suki looked over and smiled, cocking an eyebrow. “Did I hear—”

“You tell _anyone_ what sound I just made, and I’ll kick your ass,” Azula said, shoving Suki into the sand.

Laughing, Suki hit the ground and rolled, popping back up. “Well, well. The Princess can have fun. New information.”

“Fuck you,” Azula said, rolling her eyes and walking down toward the beach with Suki. The two walked the sands, Azula enjoying the sea breeze. She closed her eyes and took a breath, feeling like a weight was off of her shoulders.

Suki smiled softly, watching Azula and feeling a tug in her chest. _“What the hell? Odd…haven’t felt that since Sokka—oh, shit. No, no, no! Suki, no. Do not fall for another Fire Nation Royal! Zuko already broke your heart, you do not need that again. Just masturbate like a sane woman,”_ she thought.

Sounds of feet running on the beach caught Suki’s attention, seeing a villager rushing for them. “Fire Nation Bitch! Suffer in hell!” the man yelled, lunging for Azula with a knife in one hand, a club in the other.

Suki felt like time had stopped, shoving Azula to the side as the knife penetrated her stomach, the club coming down on her shoulder. She felt the bone break and the blade in her flesh, and she hit the ground, blood seeping from the wound.

Azula hit the ground, sliding in the sand some before she watched Suki get stabbed and hit with the club, hitting the ground. “SUKI!” She leapt up and tackled the attacker, knocking him onto his stomach before she wrenched his arms back. “Someone help!”

A few people rushed over, one man kneeling beside Azula and wrapping a sash around the attacker’s wrists, binding him. “Mahu, what are you doing?!”

“Fire Nation bitch needs to die!” Mahu yelled, thrashing as two others rushed to Suki.

Shaking his head, the man dragged Mahu to his feet. “My name’s Rahin. Princess, you’re not hurt are you?” the man asked.

Azula shook her head. “I’m fine, but Suki—” she started, looking over as the others tried to stop the bleeding. One of them reached for the knife, but she ran over and stopped. “Don’t take the knife out. You do, she’ll bleed out. Don’t do that yet. Get her to a healer! They’ll know what to do.”

“Let’s get the Captain to Moya. She’ll know what to do,” one of the men said, three of them lifting Suki up slowly.

Azula followed them after picking up Suki’s shoes, heart thundering in her chest. Suki had taken an attack meant for her. Suki shoved her out of the way, taking the knife and club to the stomach and shoulder. Nobody else had ever taken an attack for her, not in her entire life. She felt sick, confused, and disoriented. She stopped when they did, the three disappearing into the healers huts. She sank onto a bench beside the door, wrapping her arms around herself tightly, tears falling down her cheeks.

“Spirits, let her be ok,” she whispered. “Please…don’t let anything happen to her…”


	2. Training Day Pt 1

Over the next three days, Azula waited outside of the healing ward, hoping she’d be allowed to go inside and see Suki. Taking time only to sleep and eat, Azula spent every waking minute outside of the ward, her arms wrapped around herself. She knew that Shei was the reason she was being kept out, and she couldn’t blame Suki’s mother in the least. When she would sleep, the Fire Nation Princess found her dreams filled with Suki, both of them in some compromising positions, sending her already confused mentality about Suki spiraling out of control.

On the morning of the fourth day since Mahu’s attack, Moya walked out of the ward with Shei behind her. “How’s Suki doing?” Azula asked as she stood up, biting her lip nervously.

Moya smiled softly. “Because of her quick thinking, she’s going to be fine. Nothing internally was damaged, she’ll have another new scar to add to a lifetime of fighting, and her shoulder was simply dislocated. It was easy enough to put back in,” the healer said. “She’s asking for you.”

“I don’t approve,” Shei said, folding her arms. “It’s your fault she’s laid in that bed anyway. If you hadn’t come to Kyoshi—”

“If I hadn’t accepted Suki’s _offer_ to come to Kyoshi Island for my own mental health, I’d be laid up in a hospital with healers watching every move I make, analyzing everything I say and do to make sure I’m not going ot hurt anyone,” Azula said. “Ma’am, I have been nothing but respectful since I walked into your home almost a week ago. I have held my tongue, when as little as three years ago I would have burned you where you stood for talking to a Princess of the Fire Nation like you have.” Her hands clenched at her sides, feeling the faintest sparks of fire ebbing over her knuckles, but she quickly tamped the anger down.

Taking a deep breath, Azula continued. “Consider us both lucky that I am making the effort to change my ways, Shei. Suki is laid in that bed because she pushed me out of the way. If she hadn’t, I would be dead because do you know how many people look at me like I’m a leper? Nobody would have come to my aid if Mahu had stabbed me or used that club of his on my skull. Suki took an attack for a _friend,_ something I don’t know that I’ll ever have the strength to repay if situations are reversed.” She sighed, shaking her softly. “You may not like me, Shei, and that’s fine. I’ll add your name to the list of people that would like to see me hanged or locked away for the rest of my life. Right now, if you’ll excuse me, my _friend_ is asking to see me.” She stepped past Shei, heading into the hospital.

Moya looked at Shei, the slightly younger woman looking like she’d been slapped by a badger-mole. “Shei…you had that coming, my dear,” she said, patting the other woman’s arm before walking in behind Azula. “Nicely said, Princess.”

“I didn’t want to start any trouble,” Azula said softly. “Ever since I stepped foot off of the airship, everyone’s treated me horribly. Except Suki and the other Warriors. I know my past is what’s known more, but I really am trying to be better than that. I don’t want to be that girl anymore. I want to change to be someone that Zuko can be proud of, someone my mother will love, and….someone that Suki can be proud of.”

Moya nodded, smiling softly before putting her hand on Azula’s shoulder. “Standing up for yourself and not incinerating Shei where she stood was a good start,” she said. “Come on. She’s this way.” She led Azula down the hall, knocking on Suki’s door and opening it. “Captain.”

Suki looked up, sitting up slowly with a wince. “Moya,” she said. She looked past the healer and smiled. “Azula.”

Azula walked over, sitting beside the bed, smiling sadly. “I’m sorry, Suki.”

“Don’t be. If it were anyone else, I’d have done the same thing. Any of my Warriors, Zuko, Aang, Katara. Any of them. I’d do it again if I had to,” Suki said, reaching over and putting her hand on Azula’s arm. “Are you ok?”

“I don’t know. I feel bad that you’re in here because of me. Your mother hates me because you’re in here, and I still can’t go anywhere without being treated like I did something wrong,” Azula said. “I know it’ll take time for everyone to see me as anything but the “crazed Fire Nation heiress”, but…until that happens, I can’t stand the looks I get.”

Suki nodded, biting her lip as she thought. “I know you can Firebend like nobody’s business, but how well can you defend yourself in hand-to-hand?” she asked.

“Fairly well. I was trained by Piandao and several prominent Fire Nation masters,” Azula said. “Why?”

Suki smiled. “After I’m out of here, I’m going to train you. As a Kyoshi Warrior.”

“What?!”

“Yeah. Why not? You’re here, we’re supposed to be training anyway, even on vacation, and it’ll be a way to get people to see you as more than a crazy person,” Suki said. “Besides, you’ve already been in the uniform and makeup once.”

Azula smiled a bit and nodded. “True. When we kicked your asses and disguised ourselves to get into Ba Sing Se,” she said.

Suki smiled, sitting up and wincing as she held her stomach. “Oh, damn…” She sighed, shaking her head softly. “I’m sorry about my mother. She’s adamant that this is your fault and that your being here is only going to cause more problems. She even told me “If that upstart little bitch of a princess so much as breathes at the wrong time, I’m cutting her throat.” That set Moya off. Didn’t do me any favors. I told her to shove it up her ass,” she said.

Azula sighed softly, shaking her head. “I understand why she doesn’t like me. There’s nothing I can do about it. Thankfully, some of the other people around the Island have been more welcoming then your mom,” she said. “Rahin’s been nice to me, and his wife has helped me a couple of times while you’ve been in here.”

“Yeah, Kyorah’s a good woman,” Suki said. “She used to be a Warrior.”

“Really?” Azula asked. “Well, I guess that makes sense. She’s got one of those fans above the mantle.” She sighed softly, rubbing her arms. “I wish you were out of here.”

“Me too,” Suki said with a small smile. “Give it a couple of days and I’ll be back home to stop Mom from giving you trouble. Just…ignore most of her comments. She’s just mad I got hurt and she couldn’t break the man responsible. She’s always been like that. Just give it time and she’ll come around.”

Later that afternoon, Azula finally left Suki in the hospital, returning back to Suki’s house. She could hear Shei in the workshop off the side, and she bit her lip, heading straight for the door.

“Azula,” Shei called, walking out with her apron and face covered in soot and ash, a headed billet of metal in her gloved hand. “Come in here. I want to talk.”

Azula bit her lip, nodding and following Shei into the workshop. She looked around, seeing Kyoshi Warrior fans, swords, and shields hanging on the walls, molds for casting weapons and various bits of metal for guards and pommels laying around the benches. She smiled a bit as she had flashbacks to Piandao’s workshop in the Fire Nation, having visited with Zuko and Iroh a couple of times.

Shei tucked the cooling billet back into the forge, pumping the bellows to get the fire hotter again. “I’m sorry,” she said after a few minutes of silence. Taking her tongs, she pulled the billet and put it in on the anvil, grabbing a hammer and starting to bash it into the glowing metal.

“What?” Azula asked. “Why?”

Shei sighed to herself, the sound of the hammer on the anvil ringing in the silence. “For how I’ve been treating you since you came to Kyoshi. Suki’s putting her faith in you that you’ll keep your calm and there won’t be a fiery explosion if you lose your temper, and all I wanted to see was the psychopath princess who wanted to watch the world burn. I wanted to hate you,” she said, tucking the billet back into the fire. “I wanted to hate you and let that hatred spill into others, running you from the Island. But…listening to what Rahin, Moya, and Suki all said, how she pushed you out of the way of Mahu’s attack…I realized I was the one in the wrong.”

Azula nodded softly. “I can understand why you’d hate me, Shei,” she said. “I’m Fire Nation, I tried to burn the Earth Kingdom down, I took over Ba Sing Se, and I almost killed my brother and his friends a thousand times. The last time the Fire Nation was on Kyoshi Island, Zuzu burned the place down. I understand why you hate me. Honestly, I hate myself.”

She watched Shei try and get her fire going again, seeing the forge wasn’t responding. “Let me try.” She walked over, rubbing her hands together, wisps of fire blossoming to life on her hands before using her firebending, reigniting the forge with blue fire. “It’ll burn a little hotter, so your billet will come up to temperature a bit faster but be easier to forge.”

Shei tilted her head and smiled softly. “Thank you, Azula,” she said, putting the billet back in the fire. “How did you know what to do?”

“Zuko and I spent a weekend with my uncle Iroh when he visited Master Piandao. He taught us how to forge, how to work the machines, the hammers, everything. It’s something I haven’t done since I was, Spirits….seven or eight years old. It’s been a long time.”

Later that night, after becoming exhausted from working with Shei, something Azula didn’t realize she’d enjoy, the Princess laid back on her bed, sighing as her eyes drooped closed. Her mind wandered to Suki, her dreams taking on a rather different tone that night.

_Azula sighed as she felt one of Suki’s hands sliding up her stomach, her back arching as she felt the captain’s tongue against her clit, whimpering softly. Her hands tangled in Suki’s hair, biting her lip. “Suki…please…”_

_Suki giggled as she reached her destination, squeezing Azula’s tits, playfully tugging on her nipples. “What, Azula? You want me to stop teasing?” she asked, pushing her fingers into the squirming girl under her. “Maybe. I just want you to feel good.” She lifted herself up and dug her fingers further into Azula’s depths, leaning down and kissing her. “Don’t you want to feel good?”_

_“Yes…but you’re teasing….please…” Azula begged, her hips rolling against Suki’s fingers. “Baby, please…” She moaned as she felt Suki’s lips against her neck, her back arching slightly. “Suki…”_

_Suki nipped Azula’s throat, curling her fingers inside of Azula as the heel of her hand ground against her girlfriend’s clit. “I love when you beg. It makes you get off so much harder,” she said, adding a third finger inside of Azula._

_“Ahh!_ Spirits _, Suki!” she whined. “Please, Suki…please…let me cum…” Her hips pushed against Suki’s hand, hearing her girlfriend laughing above her. “Suki…don’t be mean!”_

_Suki smiled, kissing Azula again as her thumb started rubbing against her clit. “Then cum for me, baby,” she said, her voice low and seductive._

_Azula screamed as she felt Suki’s fingers digging against her, her entire body arching as she hit her peak. She sank to the bed, her eyes fluttering in a post-orgasmic bliss. “Holy…”_

_Suki gently removed her fingers from Azula, bringing them to her lips and licking them clean. She heard Azula groan under her before she laid beside her girlfriend, kissing her softly. “Better, love?”_

_“Mmmhmm…” Azula whispered. “You are so mean. Why do you always tease me?”_

_“Because it’s fun,” Suki said with a smile, resting her head against Suki’s shoulder. “Besides, if I didn’t tease, you wouldn’t have as much fun.”_

_Azula laughed and smiled sleepily, running her hand in Suki’s hair. “That’s true,” she said. “I love you, Suki.”_

_“I love you, Azula,” Suki said, looking up at her and smiling._

Azula’s eyes popped open, whimpering as she pulled her hands out of her underwear, feeling the slick on her hand. “What…in the hell was that?” she muttered. “Oh, no. No, no, no. Azula, no….” As much as she wanted to deny it, the nagging in the back of her head was cheering _“Azula yes!”_ as she got up and cleaned herself up. “How can I face her now?”

A few days later, after helping Shei with some new weapons for the Warriors, Azula stood in her room at the house, tightening the straps down for her new Kyoshi Warrior uniform. She sighed as she applied the make up, biting her lip as she set the brush down. A knock on the door sounded, breaking Azula out of her thoughts as she looked behind her.

“Hey,” Suki said, walking into the room. Her arm was still in a sling, and she was a little slow, but otherwise she was back up and going. “You look good, Azula.” She walked over, putting her hand on the other girl’s arm. “What’s wrong?”

Azula’s face heated up, her mind flashing back to the dream from a few nights before. She hadn’t been able to look Suki in the eyes for longer than a couple of minutes, and she hated lying to her friend. “I just feel…off wearing this,” Azula admitted. “Like a fraud who doesn’t belong.”

“You’ll be fine,” Suki said, squeezing Azula’s arm softly. “You just have to remember not to use your Firebending. I know it’ll be hard, but this is a good chance to learn, Azula. Phuong, Kim-Li, Kikki, and the others are going to be able to help you.”

Azula sighed softly, looking down. “I wish Ty Lee were here.” She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head. “I don’t think I can do this.”

“Yes, you can,” Suki said, putting her hand on Azula’s cheek. “You’re going to be fine. I won’t let anything happen to you. The girls are going to love you. You’ve seen how protective they are already. Remember when we stopped in Omashu? When one of the merchants tried to attack you? What happened?”

“Phuong jumped in and stopped him, breaking his arm and threatening anyone else,” Azula said with a light smile.

“Exactly. If that doesn’t prove the other Warriors are already on your side, then I don’t know what will,” Suki said. She pulled her hand back, Azula swearing that she felt heat on her face from Suki’s touch. “Come on. Let’s get you to the training yard and we’ll see what you can do.”

Azula walked out with Suki, heading down toward the training yard. She saw a couple of older women stop and stare at her, but she decided to ignore them, holding herself a little straighter as she made her way down. The pair walked into the training yard, Azula seeing the other Warriors chatting and having fun, Phuong redoing Kim-Li’s hair while Kikki sharpened her blade.

“Alright, ladies,” Suki said, clapping her hands together. “Let’s gather around. We’ve got a new recruit.”

The Warriors gathered in front of Suki, Phuong smiling. “Azula!” she said.

“Yes,” Suki said with a smile. “I offered her the chance to join us, give her something special to belong to. I expect you all to treat her with the same respect and admiration you’d show any woman of the Earth Kingdom who joins the Warriors. Just because she’s Fire Nation doesn’t mean she gets treated unfairly.” She looked at the Warriors with a cocked eyebrow. “Understand?”

“Yes, Captain!” the group of warrior women sounded.

“And that means no itching powder in her robes, Kikki,” Suki said, looking at her friend.

Kikki sighed dramatically and smiled. “Alright. I’ll behave.”

“Good,” Suki said. “Azula, stand in beside Phuong and we’ll get started. We’re going to start with the basics again, ladies. Always good to have a refresher while showing new Warriors the standards we uphold.”

Azula stood beside Phuong, the other girl giving Azula a smile. She stood and waited for Suki’s instructions, watching the other girls strip off their weapons, setting them aside before moving back into formation.

As the day progressed, Azula found herself struggling to keep up even with the basics of combat. She was doing her best to resist her Firebending, knowing it wouldn’t be good and she didn’t want to hurt anyone. Despite managing to keep up with Kikki and Phuong at various times, she fell to the mat more times then she’d have liked. When Suki called time for the last spar of the day, Phuong helped her up.

“You did good, Azula,” Phuong said with a smile. “You’ll get the hang of it the more you train and practice. It doesn’t come easy at first but give it time.”

Azula nodded, tugging at the skirt of the robes. “I think my problem is I’m used to doing all of my fighting in pants. The robes are throwing a wrench into my usual styles. And it’s so damned difficult not to use my Bending. I don’t want to hurt anyone, and I’m afraid that’s what I’d do if I lose control.”

Phuong gave Azula’s arm a squeeze, a reassuring smile on her face. “You’ll be fine. When you start feeling like you can’t do it, take a break and back up. Suki’d understand, and so would the rest of us. Slow and steady, right?”

“Yeah, slow and steady,” Azula said, looking over at Suki as she talked with Kikki and Kim-Li, the two backing up to join the others a few seconds later. She saw Suki look at her, a smile on her face, and Azula felt like every drop of blood rushed to her face, and a maddening heat pooled in her core, her mind flashing back to the dream again.

Phuong looked at Azula and then over to Suki, giggling as she saw how red Azula’s face was under the makeup. “Azula, you’ve got a crush,” she said.

“Shut up. No, I don’t,” Azula said, shoving Phuong and folding her arms. “Just shut up.”

Phuong grinned and smiled, hooking her arm around Azula’s neck. “Awww…it’s adorable.”

“I will ignite you,” Azula said, narrowing her eyes. “Shut up, Phuong.”

“Alright, gather up!” Suki called, the Warriors standing in their rank and file lines in front of the Captain. “You all did good again today. You welcomed Azula with open arms, and some of you took to training her yourselves. You’re living up to Avatar Kyoshi’s standards, and that’s something I’m happy to see. We’ll meet again tomorrow morning. Dismissed.”

The Warriors all gathered their things and walked out, Phuong catching up to Kikki and Kim-Li. Azula sighed as she sat on a bench, pressing her hands to her eyes and shaking her head. She felt Suki sit next to her, and she looked down.

“You alright?” Suki asked, putting her hand on Azula’s back. “Azula?”

“I’m fine,” Azula lied, biting her lip. “Just tired. I was on my back more today then I have been in a long time.” She stopped and sighed, shaking her head. “Not remotely how I meant it…”

Suki giggled and smiled. “It’s fine. I’ve probably heard worse innuendo out of Sokka,” she said. She walked out with Azula, locking the training yard behind her.

“What happened between the two of you?” Azula asked, following Suki home.

“Conflict of interest. He was working on Republic City with Aang and Zuko, and I was guarding Zuko all the time, and we never had a chance to meet up. If we did, it was for a few hours and then we were gone again,” Suki said. “And, y’know, him housing a crush on Toph and me sleeping with Zuko didn’t really help anything.”

Azula blinked. “You slept with Zuko?” she asked. “How did that happen?”

Suki chuckled, shaking her head. “Assassin tried to kill him in his suite. I killed the assassin, doing my job as his bodyguard, and the next thing I knew after Lei Fei and the others took the body away, Zuko had me pinned against the wall kissing me. Next thing I remember was waking up with his arms around me, marks on my neck, and my hips sore as hell from, apparently, nine or ten climaxes.”

“Spirits,” Azula said. “Can’t say I’ve ever had that with anyone.”

Suki hooked her arm around Azula’s, giving her a squeeze. “You’ll find someone. Maybe not on Kyoshi, but you’ll find someone someday.”

Azula bit her lip, patting Suki’s hand softly. “Maybe,” she said. “Maybe…”

_“The problem is, I already did. But it’s not like you’ll ever see me that way, Suki. I’ll have to suffer because you’ll never see me the way I want to see you,”_ she thought.


	3. Training Day Pt 2

Over the next two weeks, Azula trained every day with the Warriors. She still struggled, but it was starting to get more difficult to get her onto the floor. She’d taken Phuong down a couple of times already, Kikki still getting the better of her. With each successful drop, Azula felt more and more confident, even though she still heard the nagging of her own failures on occasion.

Tonight, Suki was sparring with Azula down on the beach. The two girls dodged swings and strikes, Suki getting a strike on Azula’s ribs, Azula responding with a punch to Suki’s leg, knocking her friend to the sand. Suki flipped up and launched at Azula, laughing as she did.

“You’re getting better!” she laughed, dodging a swing before pinning Azula’s arm behind her. “Still got a long way to go to match me, though.”

Azula growled, moving her leg and stomping on Suki’s foot, getting her arm back. She tried to swing out, Suki catching her swing and landing her own punch to Azula’s stomach, throwing her back into the sand. She leapt up and rushed forward, her eyes crackling with electricity as she tried to hit Suki.

“Azula, calm down,” Suki said, blocking the swings and knocking Azula back onto the sand. “Azula, stop!”

Azula growled as she grew frustrated with not being able to hit Suki in training. She kept trying to move out of the way of the Captain’s strikes and attacks, but the last few years had dulled her combat experience and she was slower than she wanted to be. Hitting the ground and rolling to a stop, the Princess leapt to her feet and yelled, blue fire erupting from her hands as she lashed out at Suki. The brunette’s scream of pain was enough to stop Azula’s rampage, the fire dying down as she felt fear and concern well up inside of her chest.

“S-Suki?” she asked weakly, her eyes widening as she saw Suki on the ground and clutching her arm. “Suki, oh, no.” She ran over, kneeling down. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over as she gingerly took Suki’s arm. “Oh, Spirits….what did I do…?”

Suki’s arm was burned, the cloth of her sleeve reduced to ash on the ground. She looked up as Azula tried to help her, sitting up slowly with the other woman’s help. “It’s alright. I’ll be alright.” She put her good hand on Azula’s cheek, feeling her gasp and stiffen.

“But…I hurt you…” Azula whispered. “I wasn’t supposed to use my bending…I hurt you…” She couldn’t stop the tears falling down her cheeks now, feeling her heart shatter in her chest. She felt like she did in the hospital, nothing but a monster hurting those around her and who tried to be nice and care for her. “Suki–”

“Azula.” Suki’s tone was harsh, but it made Azula stop. She smiled softly, shaking her head. “It’s ok. Let’s just get to Moya. It’s just a burn. It’ll heal in a few days. You didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t have been pushing you so hard.” She stood up with Azula’s help, hugging the other girl tightly. “It’s ok. Please stop blaming yourself.”

Azula wrapped her arms around Suki, shaking softly and nodding. “Ok,” she whispered.

Suki smiled, taking Azula’s hand and kissing her cheek. “It’s ok. It’s not deep and it’ll just pus up and I’ll pop them. It happens. I burned my hand on one of Mom’s forges when I was a kid. Same thing happened there.”

Azula felt her face get red and she nodded. “Alright. Let’s get you to Moya.”

Later that night, Azula sighed as she laid on her bed, arms folded behind her head as she stared at the ceiling. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, shaking her head as she pulled her hair back. Getting up, she made her way out of the room, stopping in the hallway as she heard something. Tilting her head, she gingerly walked down the hall, bare feet silent against the wood as the sound got slightly louder the closer she got to the source.

Stopping outside of Suki’s door, the Fire Nation Princess peeked in, her eyes widening as she saw Suki.

The Captain was writhing around the bed, naked as she bit down on her finger, her other hand working between her legs. “Mm…fuck, Azula…” she moaned, panting as she arched her back, her fingers working their way inside of her. “Right there…”

Azula’s eyes widened, feeling a heat between her own thighs. She felt her hand trace down her own chest, nipple hard under her robe before she made her way down, fingers sliding into her underwear. She wasn’t shocked to find out she was wet, fingers probing her slit. “Suki…” she breathed, wanting to watch and not alert Suki to her voyeurism.

Suki’s legs fell apart, Azula getting a good view. Suki’s fingers dug into herself slowly, whimpering as she added a third into her pussy. “Mm…Azula, please…” she moaned, her free hand grabbing her tit and pinching at her nipple. “Fuck me…”

Azula did her best to control her breathing as her own fingers started moving in and out of her own dripping pussy. She sank to the floor, knees spread as she worked herself over. She wanted to moan or scream but she knew she couldn’t. _“Keep going. Please…I want to see you cum,”_ she thought, biting her lip and whimpering softly as she fingered herself.

"Fuck…!” Suki moaned, her back arching as she came around her own fingers, collapsing on her bed and panting. She pulled her fingers out of her pussy, whimpering before she let her hand fall to the side, her eyes fluttering. “Mmm…she should be illegal. It should be illegal to be that fucking sexy…”

Azula forced herself up, reluctantly pulling her fingers out of her pussy. Deciding to leave quickly before Suki caught her, she snuck back down the hall to her room, shutting the door and ripping her clothes off as she climbed back into the bed, sinking three fingers into herself in a hurry. “Mm…shit…” she moaned, grinding against her hand as she started pumping her fingers rapidly. After a few minutes of struggling, Azula growled as she pulled her fingers away, slamming her head on the pillow. _“Sozin be damned! I was so close five minutes ago and now this happens?! Why?!”_

The next morning, as the two girls sat for breakfast, Suki and Azula avoided looking at each other, neither willing to admit why. Shei looked between them as she set a plate in front of each of them, cocking an eyebrow.

“What’s going on between the two of you?” she asked. “Usually you’re upbeat and talkative, but today you’re quiet as a weasel-mouse.”

“Just tired, Mom,” Suki said with a small smile. “I didn’t sleep that great.”

“Neither did I,” Azula said. “Too much in my head.” She looked over at the counter as she heard a gentle screech, cocking an eyebrow as she saw the Fire Nation messenger hawk. “When did that arrive?’

“Five minutes before you both came downstairs,” Shei said. “This was on it’s leg.” She handed Suki a letter stamped with a royal seal. “Looks important.”

“It’s from Piandao,” Suki said, looking at the seal. “Azula.” The Princess got up and walked over as Suki opened the letter.

_Captain, Princess,_

_I hope this letter finds you on Kyoshi Island. There has been a problem in the Fire Nation, one we fear is spreading to other parts of the world where Warriors are stationed. Four of them have been found dead in as many days at the time I’m writing this. Su, Jui, Asha, and Kyoko. I saw them myself, and Tamarind identified them._

_I know that your first reaction is to be to come rushing back to the Fire Nation with the other Warriors, but please. Stay on Kyoshi Island. Tamarind and I are investigating, and we’ve appointed a group of Palace Guards to shadow the Fire Lord while we’re looking into this. Keep yourselves safe. Please. I will send word when it’s safe again. Just keep your eyes open for anything suspicious on Kyoshi Island or anywhere in the Earth Kingdom you two go._

_Piandao_

“Fuck!” Azula swore, slamming her hand into the table.

“What the hell?!” Suki growled, looking at the letter in her hands. “Someone’s killing my Warriors and I’m supposed to sit on my ass!?” She got up and stormed out, swearing angrily as she slammed the door.

“Suki!” Azula called, running after her and taking her arm. “Hey. Suki, stop, please.” She ran around and stood in front of the other girl, reaching down before taking her hands. “I know this isn’t ideal. I’d rather be packing up and flying home to help them solve this. But…if it’s safer for us here, we have to respect that.”

“Azula, my sisters are dead. I’m sitting here on Kyoshi, shoving my thumb up my ass working with the ones that came with us, and I have to let this go?!” Suki yelled, her hands clenching. “It’s bullshit!” She collapsed against Azula, shaking as tears fell down her cheeks as she let herself breakdown.

Azula wrapped her arms around Suki, closing her eyes and rubbing her back softly. “It’s going to be ok. We’ll get it figured out,” she whispered, tightening her arms around her friend. “With Piandao and Tam, it’s going to be ok.”

Suki shook her head, her hands clenching in Azula’s shirt as tears fell down her face. “They better find the bastards responsible before I do,” she growled. “Otherwise my fan is going up someone’s ass open.”

Azula chuckled, shaking her head softly. “There’s my girl,” she said. She froze, her eyes wide as she felt Suki pull back and look at her. “Shit…I—”

“What?” Suki asked. “Azula, what do you mean by that?”

Azula sighed, looking away and kicking at the ground softly, backing up as she wrapped her arms around herself. “Tiger-monkey’s out of the bag now,” she mumbled. She bit her lip, looking at Suki with fear in her eyes. “Since we came to Kyoshi, and I’ve been spending time with you and staying with you, I…I found myself in a situation I didn’t intend. You’ve been so good to me, Suki, and you’ve been the one friend I’ve had since leaving the hospital. I…found myself, against all odds, looking at you differently. It’s happened more and more lately, and I hate that I shy away when you catch me staring.”

Suki watched Azula, a small smile on her face as she watched the Princess try and articulate what was in her head and, very clearly, what was on her heart. She stepped forward, pulling Azula’s hands away from her waist, squeezing softly. “To be honest, I don’t mind the staring,” she said. “And besides, you aren’t sneaky in the hallway, Azula. I heard you last night, watching me. Though, I’ll confess, I maybe…sneak down and watch you too. It’s just so hot, the way you writhe on the bed.”

Azula felt her knees trying to give out, a heat radiating in her core. “Suki, I—” She stopped, biting her lip. “Fuck it.” She cupped Suki’s face and kissed her, feeling Suki’s arms around her neck. For the first time in a long while, Azula felt like she finally found the place she belonged.

Suki smiled against Azula’s lips, pulling back and looking at the other woman. “About damn time,” she said. “You’ve been watching me for so long, I thought I’d have to strip and show you the truth.”  
  
Azula blushed, her eyes looking down. “I’m not…good with this kind of thing, Suki. I haven’t ever been in anything permanent…” She sighed softly, kicking at the ground. “What if I screw this up? What if I ruin the one good thing I have and I fall back to how I used to be?”

“You won’t,” Suki said, putting her hand on Azula’s cheek. “I won’t let you screw anything up. You’re stuck with me, and I won’t let anything happen to you. I love you too much to let you ruin us.”

Azula leaned against Suki’s hand and nodded softly, smiling a bit. “I love you too,” she said softly, feeling like a weight was off of her chest. Her mind drifted back to the letter and then the attack on the beach, and she furrowed her brows softly. “Kind of a change in subject, but…I had an idea.”

“What?” Suki asked.

“Mahu. We can question him, can’t we?” Azula asked. “Find out why he tried to attack me and why he did it. Maybe we can learn something about what’s happening in the Fire Nation and write Piandao and give him something to work on.”

Suki smiled. “That is brilliant. Come on,” she said, taking Azula’s hand and leading her toward the small barracks, used for housing offenders.

“Captain,” Rahin said, looking at the two as they walked up. “Princess.”

“Rahin. I need to speak to Mahu,” Suki said. “It’s important.”

Rahin nodded. “Alright.” HE opened the door, knocking on the wall. “Mahu! Wake up! Captain and the Princess want to talk to you.”

Mahu groaned, rolling his eyes and sitting up. “What do you two want?”

“Answers,” Azula said, blue flame igniting in the palm of her hand, illuminating the small cell. “And you’re going to give them to us. Do you know what burning flesh smells like? It’s not something you get out of your memory. Don’t give me a reason to burn you, Mahu.”

Mahu’s eyes went wide. “What….what do you want?”

“Information,” Suki said. “Why did you attack Azula? Who set you to it?”

Mahu looked away, his hands clenching. “Some “Hidden in the back” kind of group. Called themselves The Shadowpact. I’d never heard of them before, but they paid money to have Azula killed and then you.”

Azula felt her blood run cold, the fire in her hand flickering. “That’s impossible.”

“What?” Suki asked. “Azula?

“The Shadowpact was a terrorist organization in Sozin’s day. He and Avatar Roku took it down before the start of the Hundred Year War. It supposedly faded into legend,” Azula said, her heart thundering in her chest at the thought of the now-named organization. “They wanted Fire Nation control over everything, no Earth Kingdom, no Water Tribes, no Air Nomads. Fire Nation Supremacists, “One order under the Fire Nation!” kind of thing. If they’re back, we’re in trouble.”

Mahu nodded. “The letter I received said they wanted you dead for “betrayal of the Fire Nation” and Suki dead because she’s Earth Kingdom. After I was done with the two of you, I was supposed to burn the village down.”

“But, because your ego got in the way, and you yelled “Fire Nation Bitch!” before coming after me, Suki threw me out of the way and almost got killed. How fucking stupid are you?” Azula asked, moving the flame closer to Mahu’s face. “Answer me one thing. What did they offer you?”

“Hundred thousand yuans and passage to Omashu,” Mahu said. “That’s where they’re gathering, Omashu.”

Suki nodded, putting her hand on Azula’s. “We got what we needed. Let’s go,” she said. She walked out of the cell, Azula slamming it shut behind them. “You were immensely helpful, Mahu. We’ll make sure your sentence is carried out quickly.”

Azula walked out of the barracks, shaking her head. “The Shadowpact. I need to write Piandao and tell him. He’ll need to know about this.”

“Of course. We’ll write it as soon as we get back home,” Suki said, squeezing Azula’s hand. “Are you alright? You look scared.”

Azula sighed, looking away. “Suki, the Shadowpact are…ruthless. It’s an organization determined to make the Fire Nation the only Nation. No Water Tribe, no Nomads, no Earth Kingdom. If they succeed in destroying the Kyoshi Warriors and getting a foothold in, for instance, Ba Sing Se like they have in Omashu, the entire world is going to suffer for thousands of years.”

“Then we write to Piandao and make sure he knows the threat,” Suki said.

Azula nodded, sighing softly as the pair walked back into Shei’s house. She rubbed the Messenger Hawks’ head softly, smiling a bit before grabbing some paper and a pen.

_“Master Piandao_

_We went against orders and interrogated a man that was used here on Kyoshi Island to try and kill us. His name was Mahu. He told us just today that the ones that contacted him were calling themselves “The Shadowpact”, and you know as well as I do, Master, what they are capable of doing. The entire Fire Nation knows the stories of what they did before my grandfathers stopped them before the War._

_If they truly are back, I recommend taking this straight to my brother without fail. If he knows of the Shadowpact, he can recruit my uncle from Ba Sing Se back into the Fire Nation to help take them down, possibly even getting the Avatar to help since this will affect even him and his girlfriend in the Southern Water Tribe. Suki and I are going to keep our eyes and ears to the ground in Kyoshi, but we may be heading to Omashu. According to Mahu, the Shadowpact are gathering there for some reason._

_I hope this letter finds you safely. Tell my brother to be careful. We both know what he’ll do if he hears about the Shadowpact. Contact the Avatar and have him help if possible._

_Princess Azula and Suki”_

Suki looked over the letter over Azula’s shoulder and nodded. “That’s good. Let’s get it sealed and sent back to Piandao and Zuko.”

Azula nodded, folding the letter and sighing softly. “The fucking Shadowpact. Of all the disgusting things from my grandfathers’ time, it had to be that,” she muttered, shaking her head as she handed Suki the letter. “Damn it.”

After sending the letter off and enjoying the rest of their day, Azula bid Suki goodnight, heading for her room. She changed and laid back, turning to her side to face the window, the cool sea breeze filtering through the room from the open blind. Her eyes drifted closed, her mind wandering off.

_Azula ran through the palace halls, launching fireball after fireball at the attacking Shadowpact, dodging strikes before sliding to a stop at the end of the hallway, knowing she was surrounded. She turned, drawing her sword and fan before smashing a lamp, coating them in oil and igniting them._

_“Come on then, you bastards! You face the Princess of the Fire Nation!” she yelled, rushing her attackers and lashing out with her sword, cutting one’s face before she dodged and blocked a strike with her fan, ramming her sword into his chest._

_The Shadowpact leader threw a hooked knife attached to a chain, spearing Azula’s wrist and forcing the sword out of her hand, the blue flame catching the carpet and spreading. Walking forward as he yanked Azula to the ground and wrapped the chain around her neck, strangling her and laughing_

_“Now…you’re going to watch as your little whore dies,” he growled._

_One of the other Shadowpact dragged a bound and kicking Suki into focus, Azula seeing the burns and cuts on her face and stomach._

_“Azula!” Suki yelled, trying to fight back. “Let me go, bastard!”_

_“Suki…!” Azula gasped, tears streaking down her face._

_The Shadowpact member dropped Suki to the ground, putting his knee into her back before grabbing a handful of Suki’s hair, wrenching her head up. “Any last words, Earth Kingdom slut!?” he asked, pressing a knife to her throat, the tip starting to draw blood._

_Suki felt the tears falling down her cheeks, looking at Azula as the flames started spreading over the carpet and toward her and her captor. “I love you. I’ll see you again.”_

_Azula thrashed to get loose, but to no avail. She watched in horror as Suki’s captor dragged the knife across her neck, the metallic smell of the blood mingling with the fire in the room. She screamed, trying to get free as Suki was dropped to the ground, her eyes rolled back in her head as her last breath seeped out._

_“NO! Suki!” she yelled. “You sons of bitches! I’ll kill you!”_

_The Shadowpact leader laughed, tightening his grip on the chain around Azula’s neck. “Not in this life, Princess.” He pulled harder, cutting off Azula’s windpipe and crushing her throat before he twisted, snapping her neck._

Azula screamed Suki’s name, sitting bolt upright before scrambling off of the bed, fire erupting from her hands. She heard feet running down the hall, getting ready to fight as her door burst open and Suki and Shei ran in.

“Azula,” Suki said, walking forward. “Sweetheart, it’s just me. You were screaming and screamed my name. Azula.” She reached Azula, putting her hand on the Princess’s cheek. “Honey, look at me.”

Azula shuddered, sinking to the ground as the fire extinguished itself. She felt Suki’s hand in her hair, and she clung to the slightly younger woman, tears falling down her cheeks. “It was so real,” she whispered. “The nightmare was so real…”

“It’s over now, honey,” Suki whispered, her fingers stroking Azula’s hair softly. “It’s over. It’s not real. You’re ok. I’m ok.” She looked back at her mother and nodded. Helping Azula up, Suki took her hands and led her out of the room and down the hall to her own. She sat Azula down on the bed before sitting with her, rubbing her back. “Talk to me.”

Azula shakily told Suki her nightmare, from the fighting to watching her die. Her hands clenched in her robe, and she felt Suki’s arms around her neck. “It was too real. The smell of the blood, the heat of the fire, the feel of the carpet under my bare feet. The weight of my sword and fan…”

Suki nodded softly, wrapping her arms around Azula, kissing her head. “Stay in here tonight. I’ll keep the nightmares away.”

Azula nodded softly, letting Suki manipulate her onto the bed and laying back. She felt Suki’s arm around her waist, and she instinctively gripped her arm for protection. “I’m scared…”

“I know. I’m scared of this Shadowpact thing too, but as long as we’ve got each other, it’s going to be ok.”

Azula nodded softly, biting her lip. If only she had that optimism.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry these chapters are taking up to a month to do. I'm picking at them when I get some inspiration, but otherwise I'm slow going. I really do want to see this succeed, and I hope you guys stick with it when it takes me longer to get these out compared to other stories.
> 
> The Shadowpact, Piandao, and Tamarind are all going to be the major players in another series I'm peicing called "Fire-Forged Bonds". THis is kind of a set up to that while still pushing Azula and Suki's relationship. Don't worry, our girls will be the focus for the rest of the story, I just needed to set up the overarching bad guys.
> 
> Hope you guys like this chapter.


	4. PSA

Hey, guys.

I want to leave a little note in here. I'm going to shelve Fanning The Flames for a little while. I'm in a bit of Avatar burnout, since most of what I've written this year has been Avatar in one way or another. _Crash Course, Side Courses, Zuki Week, What You Leave Behind, Caught In The Act, Fanning The Flames,_ and _Moon River_ have all been ATLA and I'm kind of burnt out.

Don't worry, it's not canceled and Fire-Forged Bonds is going to happen in time. I'm just taking the rest of the year to write other franchises and branch out a completely original idea in Detective Fazal's Paranormal Investigations. I know the hardcore readers will stick around, and if I lose some of you for stopping this just when it's getting good, I'm so sorry. I just need a break, but I promise after the first of the year, we'll get back to Azula and Suki getting laid and having babies like I promised in the first chapter.

Hope you guys understand,

FangZeronos/Daniel


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